They tried all summer to land Gareth Barry, but Aston Villa just wouldn’t play ball with the Anfield club, demanding a fee that was too rich for the blood of Messrs Hicks and Gillett. However, it appears as though that difficult left-side of midfield position will be bolstered by this latest arrival. Yet another Spaniard is set to sign for Liverpool!
Setanta report that Rafael Benitez has fended off interest from Everton and virtually sealed the deal to bring Albert Riera to the club. This should give him another option and potentially the width that many supporters have been craving. The team have been lamented for trying to play the ball through the middle of the park, but will the Espanyol player change this?
Espanyol have confirmed Albert Riera is currently on his way to Merseyside to complete his transfer to Liverpool.
The former Manchester City loanee has long been the target of Rafa Benitez, and is expected to complete a deal worth in the region of £8.5 million.
Espanyol’s official website revealed neither Riera nor Pablo Zabaleta trained on Friday, with Zabaleta joining his team-mate on the plane to England in order to sign for Manchester City.
Certainly a cheaper option for Pool than Barry and they are both the same age, which will please Benitez. While Riera might take some time to bed in, is this a signing which excites Liverpool fans? The midfielder has represented Spain on five occasions and might now find himself regularly linking up with compatriots Alonso and Torres.